1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of chemically produced (synthetic) 9-beta-L(+) adenosine to stimulate plant growth. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of very small amounts of the chemically produced 9-beta-L(+) adenosine for this purpose.
2. Prior Art
Triacontanol (TRIA), a C30 primary alcohol and a natural constituent of plant waxes, increases the growth and sometimes the yield of many crop species as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,970 to Ries et al; Ries, S. K., Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 2:239-285 (1985); and Ries, S. K., Wert, V. F., Sweeley, C. C. and Leavitt, R. H., Science 195:1339-1341 (1977)). It is also used on several million acres of tea, vegetable and agronomic crops in Asia each year to increase yield as described in Abstracts, International Symposium on Triacontanol, November 25-28, Zhenjiang, China, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology, Academia Sinica (1987); Lim, ung-Kyu, Korean J. Ecol. 4:1 (1982); and Devakumar, C., Baskaran, S., and Mukerjee, S. K. Indian J. Agr. Sci. 56:744-747 (1986).
Increases in leaf area, dry weight, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, water soluble protein, reducing sugars, and free amino acids have been measured within 40 minutes of TRIA application to maize and rice seedlings as described in Ries, S. K., Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences (1985) cited previously and Ries, S. K. and Wert, V. F., J. PIant Growth Regulation 1:117-127 (1982). Both Ca.sup.2+ and Mg.sup.2+ dependent ATPase activity increased by 40-60% within 30 minutes of the addition of 2.3 nm of TRIA to cell-free extracts from barley (Hordeum vulgare) roots as described in Lesniak, A. P. and Ries, S. K. Physiol. Plant. 68:20-26 (1986). Equimolar concentrations of octacosanol (OCTA, C.sub.28 primary alcohol), as well as other long chain alcohols, inhibited the activity of TRIA as described in Jones, J., Wert, V. F. and Ries, S. K. Planta 144:277-292 (1979), even if the two chemicals were applied separately to the shoots and roots, but only when these long chain alcohols were applied prior to TRIA as described in Ries, S. K. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences (1985) cited previously and Jones, J., Wert, V. F. and Ries, S. K., Planta (1979) cited previously.
Thus triacontanol (TRIA) as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,970 to Ries et al increases the dry weight and alters the metabolism of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings, within 10 minutes of application of 1.0 .mu.g/L (see also Ries, S. K., Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences (1985) cited previously. Application of OCTA to either rice roots or shoots 1 minute prior to application of TRIA to the opposite part of the seedling inhibits this response as discussed in Ries, S. K., Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences (1985) previously cited; and Jones, J., Wert, V. F. and Ries, S. K., Planta (1979) previously cited.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,754 to Ries, which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof, TRIA quickly elicits a second messenger, referred to as TRIM, which moves rapidly throughout the plant resulting in stimulation of growth (dry weight increase) and water uptake. OCTA also produces a second messenger (OCTAM) that inhibits TRIA activity, but not the activity of TRIM. The same procedure used to extract TRIM when used on control plants not treated with TRIA, yielded a compound which had no affect on plant growth. Melting point, infrared (IR), mass spectroscopy (MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) produced the result that both TRIM and tallow alkyl sulfate (TAS) appeared to be identical. However, these compounds showed remarkable differences in biological activity. For a long time, TRIM has eluded chemical identification and synthesis of the active ingredient.
TRIM is extracted and purified from plant material in only minute quantities after application of TRIA to a plant, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,754 to Ries. There is a need for a synthetically derived, pure material in view of the large amounts necessary for plant growth stimulation at a commercial level.